By consistently reviewing trends, auditing service processes, listening to our policyholders and responding to changing markets, TDIC is able to develop innovative insurance products and related services that help dentists practice more confidently and productively.

The day-to-day running of a practice can be hectic at times, so many dental professionals use set systems and procedures to streamline their work. After all, less time on the backend means more time on patient care. But occasionally, cutting corners can lead to unwanted risk. This is especially true when it comes to patient records. Taking shortcuts on charting, such as using preestablished templates, can cause more headaches down the road.

CDA may not be hosting a continuing education convention this fall, but dentists and dental professionals who are attending the ADA FDI World Dental Congress Sept. 5-7 in San Francisco can still stop by the CDA, TDSC and TDIC booths to ask friendly experts all of their questions, learn how to save on dental supplies, obtain free, no-obligation insurance quotes and much more.

Dentists have an ethical and legal obligation to do no harm and to protect the health of their patients. But what happens when their patients put others at risk? Such is the dilemma faced by some practice owners who have called The Dentists Insurance Company’s Risk Management Advice Line with questions regarding their obligation to treat unvaccinated patients. At the core of this dilemma is the return of a disease previously believed to have been eliminated: measles.

Beginning June 1, the National Supplier Clearinghouse began sending letters to Medicare-enrolled dentists notifying them that a surety bond of at least $50,000 per office location may be required to initiate or continue their Medicare enrollment as a supplier of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthodontics and supplies. Prior to 2019, dentists were exempt from this rule.

Take two of these and call me in the morning. That may have been sage advice a generation ago, but today, dispensing medication requires much more scrutiny. Americans are taking more prescription drugs than ever before, meaning health professionals, including dentists, must use extra precaution when dispensing and prescribing routine medications as part of an overall treatment plan.

As some dental practices in California continue to recover from the devastating effects of the 2018 wildfires, The Dentists Insurance Company advises dentists to be prepared for not only the 2019 wildfire season but also for the possibility of year-round wildfire threats. Making sure all practice records, including patient charts and accounts receivable, are backed up often with copies kept in cloud storage or an off-site location is an important step.

Dental practices welcome patients of all ages, but special considerations are warranted for patients of advanced years. Older adult patients — especially those who are medically compromised or have special needs — require extra precautions to ensure they remain safe while receiving the care they need to maintain their oral health.

The Dentists Insurance Company has earned endorsements from four dental organizations: Washington State Dental Association, Oregon Dental Association, Idaho State Dental Association and Seattle-King County Dental Society. The renewed endorsements from organized dentistry validate the strength of TDIC and the trust that the profession has in an insurance company that protects only dentists.

TDIC’s Risk Management Advice Line has received calls from concerned practice owners who became aware of patients or employees suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. In some cases, a patient mentioned feeling despondent or hopeless. In others, employees threatened suicide or self-harm. While mental health is out of a dental professional’s clinical scope of practice, they have an ethical obligation to help individuals who exhibit distress to access services or support.

Dentists often find themselves in an awkward predicament when a patient presents with what appears to be substandard work by another provider. On one hand, patients have a right to be informed about the state of their oral health. On the other, dentists should avoid openly criticizing another dentist’s work, even if that criticism may be justified. Finding the right balance between candidness and refrain can be tricky.

The Dentists Insurance Company has earned the AM Best A rating for the 25th consecutive year. AM Best Company ratings include comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management. The A (Excellent) rating is a reflection of TDIC’s financial strength and its mission to provide the best insurance products and related services to more than 24,000 policyholders.

Of the nearly 3,500 professional liability claims The Dentists Insurance Company addressed between 2012 and 2017, many could have been avoided or mitigated had the dentist been more cautious about choosing which patients to accept into care. “Being selective in the patients you see goes a long way in avoiding trouble down the road,” said Taiba Solaiman, senior TDIC Risk Management analyst.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports several calls to its Risk Management Advice Line from practice owners facing irate patients. Typically, these cases stem from patients who are upset over unplanned expenses, treatment plans they consider unnecessary, failure to achieve expected results from cosmetic procedures or a dentist’s refusal to practice outside the standard of care when a patient attempts to dictate treatment.

The Dentists Insurance Company has developed a resource to help prescribers follow a new requirement when prescribing Schedule II drugs to minors. Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, before a prescriber issues the first prescription to a minor for a controlled substance containing an opioid, the prescriber must discuss specific information with the minor or the minor’s parent or guardian. The new form, “Consent to Prescribe an Opioid to a Minor,” covers the required discussion items.

Some dentists agree to trade their work for other professional services or items of value. Bartering is nothing new; it was the only method for exchanging goods and services until hard currency became the norm thousands of years ago. But for dentists, bartering can lay the groundwork for a liability claim should things not go as planned. TDIC reports a case in which a dentist bartered with a patient for landscaping services in exchange for full-mouth reconstruction.

The Dentists Insurance Company received final approval to merge Dentists Benefits Insurance Company and Northwest Dentists Insurance Company, acquired in February 2017, into TDIC effective Jan. 1. The merger was approved by the California Department of Insurance, the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation and the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

The accidental aspiration or ingestion of foreign objects during dental procedures can occur on occasion. After all, introducing dental instruments, restorative materials and other small dental components into the oral cavity while a patient is in a reclined position naturally creates an element of risk. While preventive measures may reduce the number of incidents, communication about proper post-treatment care can prevent them from developing into a critical event.

California’s 2018 wildfires damaged and destroyed property and claimed lives in many areas throughout the state. The Nov. 8 Camp Fire in Paradise is the most destructive in state history, claiming at least 85 lives and burning nearly 19,000 structures. The fire chewed through 153,336 acres — homes, schools, churches and businesses, including nine dental practices and one clinic.

There is still a great misunderstanding about the spread of one of the most feared diseases in U.S. history — HIV. Unlike the flu or common cold, there is little, if any, risk of spreading the HIV virus in the dental setting as long as appropriate precautions are taken. In California, patients with HIV are protected under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of medical condition, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability, among other factors.

A dental professional can treat dozens of patients each day. Patients present, provide their information, get checked in and proceed with treatment. Do you ever stop to wonder whether your patients are who they say they are? In a case reported to The Dentist Insurance Company’s Risk Management Advice Line, a patient presented for a root canal treatment.

CDA members may know about the dentist-focused coverage offered for their practices by The Dentists Insurance Company, but they may not be aware that TDIC Insurance Solutions offers individual and family plans, small-group plans and Medicare options from trusted carriers to provide affordable coverage. Open enrollment for each of these health plans is either already open or quickly approaching.

From electrical fires to leaky roofs to failed equipment — suffering property damage can be an unfortunate part of dental practice ownership. As any dentist who has experienced a loss can attest, the goal is to minimize downtime and get back to work as soon as possible. After all, patients depend on dentists to keep their oral health in good order and a disruption in practice operations can prevent them from receiving the care they need.

The Risk Management Advice Line is a complimentary service of The Dentists Insurance Company that has helped thousands of dentists seeking guidance on handling difficult situations in their offices. But not all callers are in the midst of a crisis. Sometimes, they simply need reassurance that they’ve done the right thing. Here is one example concerning a patient who presented for an exam and evaluation of her third molars.

Poor documentation, failure to immediately disclose to a patient that an unexpected treatment outcome occurred and failure to immediately refer the patient to a specialist were common trends noted in a five-year analysis by The Dentists Insurance Company. The results of this analysis formed the basis for a new TDIC seminar “Pain and Perception: Reducing Nerve Injury Risks,” which launches in September at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in San Francisco.

If practice owners fail to educate their team members on their roles, responsibilities and limitations, that positive experience can quickly turn negative. And that negative experience can potentially create a professional liability claim. The following is a case reported by The Dentists Insurance Company along with advice for reducing risk.

The Dentists Insurance Company’s Risk Management Advice Line recently received a call from a practice that was dealing with a case of mistaken identity for same-name patients. The caller actually represented two practices: a pediatric dentistry office and an orthodontic office, which were managed separately but shared a common patient waiting area. Two patients named Haley were scheduled for treatment at the same time — one in each office.

Giving back by volunteering dental services can be one of the most rewarding aspects of your professional life. There can be several scenarios in which you provide treatment at no charge — volunteering through a nonprofit organization or community health event, treating a friend or family member or delivering emergency care unexpectedly. A few insights may help you better manage potential risks in each scenario.

Spring is a prime time to deep clean your practice and tie up any loose ends from the previous year. It’s also a great opportunity to review your patient records and ensure all files are accurate and current. Here are some things to consider when revisiting patient charts. If you find something is missing, review the chart with your patient at their next visit.

May marks Disability Insurance Awareness Month, and as disability insurance is the most overlooked of the major insurance types according to the nonprofit Life Happens, now is an important time for dentists to ensure that their financial futures are protected. The Dentists Insurance Company encourages dental professionals to take steps to protect their earnings and their practices should a disabling event occur.

The Dentists Insurance Company has announced its 24th consecutive year earning the A.M. Best Company’s “A” rating. The rating includes comparisons to peers and industry standards, as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management. “With TDIC’s consistent and sustainable growth, we’re ensuring a diversified premium base and financial stability for policyholders while we continue to focus solely on protecting dentists,” said TDIC Board Chair Daniel Davidson, DMD.

Attendees of the 2018 Anaheim CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry will have a number of opportunities to learn about employment law and how to reduce employment liability risks in their practices. Sponsored by The Dentists Insurance Company, the workshop Caution and Control — Reducing Employment Liability will be presented all three days of the May meeting.

Dental practices are reporting to Henry Schein Practice Solutions that they have received calls from an individual posing as a company employee who then asks for remote access to the office servers. Such calls are a type of phishing scam, whereby scammers pretend to be key personnel or set up look-alike websites and emails to fool individuals into providing sensitive information such as passwords, patient account numbers or Social Security numbers. With this information, scammers can then steal information and profit from its sale.

The Dentists Insurance Company’s Risk Management Advice Line is a confidential resource designed to help guide dentists to the best course of action when dealing with potential claims from patients or employees. The advice line has helped thousands of dentists and dental professionals navigate difficult situations and establish preventive measures to stop risky situations before they start.

It’s no secret that CDA and its family of companies are home to some of the brightest specialists supporting dentistry today. And their expertise is just a call or email away for CDA members. But where should members turn for what kind of support? Here’s your quick-start guide to accessing expert advice.

What do Anthem, Yahoo, LinkedIn and JP Morgan Chase have in common? If you guessed that they were all victims of some of the world’s largest data breaches, you’d be correct. From insurance carriers to retailers, financial institutions to the U.S. military, all organizations that have an online presence are subject to cyber-related risks and the reputational damage and loss of consumer trust that follow.

Hiring an associate brings the opportunity to lighten workloads and potentially drive in new business. But as with any relationship, both parties may eventually agree to part ways. In worst-case scenarios, the split may not be amicable and your patients and practice as a whole may suffer unwelcome consequences.

Whether you prefer a digital organizer or a fresh paper calendar, you’ll be more efficient in the new year by taking a few minutes now to plan to take advantage of all of your CDA membership benefits in the months to come. In addition to vacations and staff birthdays, mark the dates for association events, compliance deadlines and practice reminders. Discover even more membership value, protection and support all through the year.

When planning a holiday party, one might carefully consider food, décor, entertainment and overall costs. And while choosing the party venue may be a key factor for the average host, it’s an even more essential element for practice owners to consider. It’s important that employers establish clear guidelines when organizing any work-related event. If care isn’t taken, practice owners can be held liable for misconduct.

You take time to build relationships with your patients and plan long-term treatment success. But what happens when a patient has “a better idea” of what should happen midtreatment? Though many patients desire a sense of control in their dental care and want to exercise choice, the trouble happens when a patient attempts to dictate clinical decisions. TDIC has seen a recent trend in the number of patients who are requesting their restorations simply be handed over to them.

CDA members already know firsthand that their membership benefits can support them in navigating the business side of dentistry. From Practice Support resources to insurance products designed only for dentists, a full suite of tools is available to help practices be more competitive and efficient. Members also have access to programs that leverage CDA’s size and strength to save them money on dental supplies, insurance and education.

CDA Practice Support and The Dentists Insurance Company are receiving an increasing number of calls from members on the subject of obtaining medical clearance for patients who have certain chronic conditions such as diabetes or are undergoing certain therapies. TDIC warns dentists that the medical clearance process is misleading because it implies that the patient is “cleared” for treatment.

Your practice needs the entire team to be sharp and focused for the schedule to run smoothly, so if you’ve ever had an employee show up in the morning unable to perform duties, you can expect to have both a hard conversation and a long day. The impact of an employee’s substance abuse on a practice extends beyond impaired performance and productivity.

The Dentists Insurance Company has received and is currently working to resolve several claims against its policyholders related to the unauthorized use of proprietary software code on the policyholders’ dental practice websites. The claimant asserts the policyholders have committed copyright infringement by using, without permission, copyright-protected software that provides real-time online chat capability.

A common allegation in many professional liability claims is the lack of informed consent. Patients argue that had they known about the possibility of complications, they would have made a different decision regarding their dental treatment. One of the best ways dentists can protect themselves in these cases is by ensuring patients are armed with the facts needed to make informed decisions.

Many patients suffer from dental anxiety and they all have their own ways of addressing their unease. Anxiety management techniques run the gamut, from conscious sedation to deep breathing to simply toughing it out. Sometimes patients use alcohol or drugs to relax. Whether they turn to the bottle to ease anxiety or simply enjoy a three-martini lunch, dentists are left with the uncomfortable dilemma of whether to provide treatment.

CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry is just around the corner and thousands of dentists and their teams will descend on San Francisco for the event. But what happens at their practices while they’re away? Who will care for their patients? And how can they make sure their properties are safe? Practice owners should take a few precautions to protect themselves and their practices before closing their doors for an extended period of time.

Patient satisfaction is the ultimate goal of any dentist and most will do whatever it takes to keep their patients happy, confident and pain-free. But what happens when a patient’s expectations are unrealistic? What if a patient is impossible to please? At what point should you say “enough is enough?”

Many dentists dream of opening their own practices. And while they may have spent years refining their clinical skills, they are often less familiar with the business side of dentistry. This is especially true when it comes to employment law, an area of frequent claims against dental practice owners. Dentists should heed particular caution to the rules and regulations surrounding meal and rest periods.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports an increase in calls to the Risk Management Advice Line regarding heated political debates erupting in the office among both staff and patients. Today’s political climate is more tumultuous than ever, reaching a level of polarization that often spills into daily interactions. Individuals on all sides are emboldened to share their viewpoints. But like the holiday dinner table, a dental office is no place for political or religious discussions.

Practice owners who have questions about dismissing a patient, giving a refund or terminating an employee are not alone. The Dentists Insurance Company reports these are the top three risk management issues facing dentists today. In fact, these issues make up the majority of calls received through the Risk Management Advice Line. Following are real-life calls and recommendations offered by TDIC RM analysts.

Emergency preparedness can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Well-trained staff and clear emergency protocols are essential, as are regularly performed drills to ensure expediency should an emergency occur. But one of the simplest ways to prevent an emergency from becoming a tragedy is a well-stocked and up-to-date emergency kit.

A survey by the organization indicates that individuals have a “three in 10 chance of suffering a disabling illness or injury that would keep them out of work for three months or more during their career.” With this in mind, during Disability Insurance Awareness Month in May, The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) encourages dental professionals to take steps to protect their earnings and their practices should unforeseen events occur.

All too often, patients fail to follow treatment recommendations due to expense, putting their oral health at risk. In addition, dentists sometimes make their treatment recommendations based on what a patient’s insurance plan will cover. The Dentists Insurance Company reports calls to the Risk Management Advice Line from dentists whose patients have refused care based on the cost. While budgetary limitations are certainly a reality of life, dentists are advised to proceed with caution when allowing patients to dictate care.

At CDA Presents Anaheim, attendees will have an opportunity to take advantage of several offerings from The Dentists Insurance Company, including a TDIC Risk Management seminar on reducing employment liability. California dentists who attend the seminar will earn 3.0 Category II C.E. units and TDIC policyholders will receive a 5 percent discount* on their TDIC Professional Liability premium for two years.

In the insurance industry, consistent and sustainable growth ensures a diversified premium base and financial stability to support policyholders. TDIC recently announced the purchase of three dentist-centric professional liability insurance businesses from an Oregon-based company, Moda, Inc., resulting in an extension of TDIC’s dentist-focused exceptional products and services to more than 4,500 policyholders in five additional states.

Imagine taking your car to the shop for a minor repair — say, to replace the spark plugs or patch a tire. Now, imagine picking your car up at the end of the day to discover that your engine has been completely rebuilt — and you’re responsible for the bill. This scenario would be unlikely to occur in the auto repair industry, but it happens all too often in the dental industry, leaving broken trust, unhappy patients and disputed bills in its wake.

Under AB 2235, the pediatric anesthesia bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last September, dentists are required to obtain written informed consent from the parent or legal guardian of a minor patient prior to administration of general anesthesia or conscious sedation. As part of this requirement, the written informed consent form must contain new, specific language.

The Dentists Insurance Company has once again earned an “A” rating from A.M. Best Company, marking the 23rd consecutive year for TDIC. The rating includes comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management. Insurance professionals refer to Best's Credit Ratings as an opinion of the financial strength and creditworthiness of risk-bearing entities and investment vehicles.

Collections is one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of practice management. Using a collections protocol is a basic first step in addressing unpaid balances, but if phone calls and letters go unanswered, a dentist is faced with the dilemma of whether to turn the account over to a collection agency. TDIC advises dentists to carefully consider the pros and cons of such an action.

Whether an old flame or a disloyal friend, choosing to accept someone back into one’s life can be a difficult decision. But what about accepting dismissed patients back into the practice? Do they deserve a second chance? The answer is: It depends. According to The Dentists Insurance Company, in some cases, such as noncompliance, accepting a dismissed patient back to the practice can lay the groundwork for a liability claim. But in other cases, the answer isn’t so clear.

Relying on memory alone to recount business assets is an exercise in futility. While most dentists have a general idea what they own and how much it’s worth, not all have a thorough, detailed inventory of their office contents. Unfortunately, failing to document all items of value can lead to a shortage of insurance coverage should a loss occur.

For practice owners, hiring competent, qualified and properly licensed staff is a key responsibility. Should it be discovered that an employee is practicing without a license, there are serious repercussions for both the unlicensed employee and the practice owner, for example. However, sometimes the requirements as an employer are murky, and tasks associated with hiring can get pushed to the back burner.

Data loss can happen to anyone, at any time. Data loss can even happen to dentists. The Dentists Insurance Company reports one Bay Area dentist lost all of his patient records when his hard drive crashed. When he attempted to restore the data by accessing his backups, he discovered his system hadn’t been backing up for two years.

When faced with equipment failure, practice owners must be prudent with their actions should they seek to file a claim with their insurance carrier. At best, failure to preserve property can result in a delay in payment; at worst, it can result in the loss not being covered at all.

TDIC has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase three Moda-held companies — Dentists Benefits Insurance Company (DBIC), Dentists Benefits Corporation (DBC) and Northwest Dentists Insurance Company (NORDIC). The definitive agreement follows TDIC’s recent announcement of the intent to purchase the companies that provide and administer insurance products and services to more than 4,500 policyholders in seven states.

TDIC has announced it has signed a letter of intent to purchase three dentist insurance businesses from an Oregon-based company, Moda. The acquisition will allow TDIC to expand its exceptional service and products to more than 4,500 additional policyholders, further strengthening TDIC with a broader premium base.

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month, which makes it a good time for dentists to make sure that their futures are protected. Disability Insurance Awareness Month was named by the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures.

The Dentists Insurance Company has announced its 22nd consecutive year earning the A.M. Best Company’s “A” rating. The A.M. Best Company rating includes comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management.

Beyond the Science: Patient Emotions in Dentistry is now open at tdicinsurance.com/seminars. TDIC is offering the seminar to help dentists correctly identify and handle patients who exhibit dental fear. Beyond the Science: Patient Emotions in Dentistry presents real case studies to dentists and staff members to help them recognize when, and how, to dismiss a patient without placing them at risk; establish trust in the doctor-patient relationship to encourage treatment compliance; create office protocols to instill confidence in the dentist and staff.

Embezzlement is typically defined as the theft of money or property by a person trusted with those assets. It usually occurs in employment settings, and small businesses suffer more losses from fraud than larger organizations. Dentists may inadvertently put their practices at risk for fraud by trusting a single employee with sole financial responsibility or by not reviewing accounts payable and receivable. However, this vulnerability can be reduced through awareness of “red flag” behaviors and a few key accounting protections.

Workers’ compensation covers a broad and multifaceted legal spectrum, but a few essential practices can help dentists manage an employee injury at work. Key considerations include reporting the injury right away, authorizing medical care, avoiding judgment about the injury, maintaining open communication with the injured employee and treating the injured employee fairly.

Dental practices are among the victims falling prey to ransomware, a type of malware that infects and disables computers and demands payment from victims to restore computer access. The Dentists Insurance Company warns dentists that ransomware can bring a practice to a standstill.

Registration for the new fall 2015 lineup of TDIC’s Risk Management seminar, Beyond the Science: Patient Emotions in Dentistry, is now open. Beyond the Science: Patient Emotions in Dentistry presents real case studies to dentists and staff members to help them recognize when, and how, to dismiss a patient without placing them at risk; establish trust in the doctor-patient relationship to encourage treatment compliance; create office protocols to instill confidence in the dentist and staff.

The Dentists Insurance Company has announced its 21st consecutive year earning the A.M. Best Company’s “A” rating. The A.M. Best Company rating includes comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management.

One California dentist decided to share her story to warn other dentists of a relatively new hacking scheme. It is called “crypto-ransomware” and it attempts to extort money from victims by displaying an on-screen alert. These alerts often state that the computer has been locked or that all files have been encrypted, and demand that a ransom be paid to restore access.

The morning meeting for a dentist and their team helps outline the patient care for the day, but it also can serve as a good time to remind staff about the importance of protecting patient information. A CDA Presents lecturer, and information security expert, lays out a list of topics dentists can discuss with their staff to make sure the practice remains HIPAA compliant.

Now is an ideal time for dentists to re-evaluate insurance coverage, which can have huge implications on the lives of their families and their ability to retire. Life Happens, a nonprofit organization formed in 1994, has dubbed September Life Insurance Awareness Month. The associated awareness campaign is intended to help consumers understand life, disability, long-term care and health insurance.

CDA has heard from several members about a scam involving calls from fraudsters claiming to be IRS agents or other law enforcement authorities. The scammers threaten victims with arrest, deportation, license revocation or business closure unless the individual pays the taxes they claim are owed. The callers demand payment by way of a prepaid debit card, credit card or wire transfer. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued an alert advising those targeted by the scam on how to report it.

To make the transition from dental school to the workforce easier, TDIC is offering newly licensed dentists their first year of Professional Liability insurance for just $50. In addition, new dentists receive a 45 percent discount in their second year of practice and a 25 percent discount in their third. Founded more than 30 years ago by CDA dentists, TDIC now protects more than 18,000 dentists nationwide.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports an increase in claims related to oral cancer and advises dentists to conduct regular oral cancer screenings on all patients. In addition to consistent documentation of screenings, follow-up and referral of any suspicious lesion or area is strongly recommended. An attorney who has specialized in defending dentists for more than 40 years weighs in precautions dentists should take if they find a lesion or spot that looks unusual.

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month,which makes it a good time for dentists to make sure that their futures are protected. Dentists who do not have disability insurance and/or business overhead expense insurance, are one accident away from having to deal with insurmountable office overhead expenses and the possibility of being forced into closing their practice. TDIC is encouraging dental professionals to consider the important role disability insurance plays in an individual’s financial security.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports repeated calls to its Advice Line about harassment of dental staff by patients or vendors. Federal and state laws forbid harassment of employees, and dentists have an obligation as employers to maintain a safe workplace. Further, dentists can be held liable if a harassment situation is not addressed, according to an attorney specializing in labor and employment law.

CDA has recently learned that the Dental Board of California has begun taking disciplinary action against dentists who are providing Botox/Dysport or derma filler treatments to patients for cosmetic purposes or teaching courses to dentists to do so.

The Dentists Insurance Company has announced its 20th consecutive year earning the A.M. Best Company’s “A” rating. The A.M. Best Company rating includes comparisons to peers and industry standards as well as assessments of operating plans, philosophy and management.

As questions increase about the use of Botox in dentistry, The Dentists Insurance Company advises California dentists that the use of preparations such as Botox and Dysport must be within the scope of dental practice.

Dental offices routinely send medical clearance forms to physicians before beginning treatment on medically compromised patients, and The Dentists Insurance Company receives a number of questions on its Advice Line about this practice. A San Francisco-area attorney working with TDIC who specializes in professional liability and business law, weighs in on how when it comes to medical clearance, the big issue is whether dental treatment could substantially affect a patient’s physical condition or the reverse, whether a physical condition could affect dental care.

Employment Practices Liability insurance, often referred to as EPL, provides protection for dental practice owners against specific claims made by employees, former employees or prospective employees. EPL covers employment-related claims such as discrimination because of age, sex, race or disability, wrongful termination and sexual harassment, and pays for defense costs, settlements and civil damages in the event of such allegations. Risk Management analysts at The Dentists Insurance Company say it is common for policyholders to mistakenly think their Professional and Business Liability insurance covers employment-related lawsuits.

We are entering May, which is Disability Insurance Awareness Month, and a good time for dentists to make sure that their futures are protected. Disability Insurance Awareness Month was named by the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures.

Mobile phone use during work hours can give patients the impression their dental care is not a priority, and phone use creates distractions that can increase liability. Inaccurate documentation and lack of attention to detail can occur when concentration is divided between work and mobile devices. The Dentists Insurance Company recommends banning cellphone and smartphone use while on duty, including sending or receiving personal calls, emails and text messages or using smartphone applications.

The Dentists Insurance Company reports an increase in web-related copyright infringement claims with 16 cases in 2012, up from two claims in 2009. TDIC analysts say dentists, or the individuals who set up dental practice websites, may not be aware of the legal requirement to secure a license for photos and other materials used online.